Addled Doctor

The Addled Doctor (adld däktər) is a non-binary VTuber who debuted on 16th November, 2020.

Lore
''Disclaimer: The Philippine tribe described in this history is purely fictional. The Manager claims no expertise of Philippine pre-colonial history, though it is a very interesting topic. The Manager wishes no disrespect to the native folk of the Philippines.''

The Doctor was born in the archipelago currently known as the Philippine Republic prior to its colonization. Born as a chieftain's daughter, Naia Baybay was renowned for being a skilled healer – priestess to the seven moon deities – but was also considered unnatural due to her albinism. But the latter fact was kept hidden from her; the chieftain always told her she was kept hidden to protect her womanhood. Her life was quiet, cloistered away and protected by her parents with her only human contact coming from her family and patients who were desperate enough to seek out her healing skills.

Tired of the isolation, Naia snuck out during one of the village's moon festivals to join in the celebration. Covered in heavy cloth, she watched enamoured as the men folk dressed as women, proud in their elegance and beauty, to embrace the femininity of the moon. And a thought brewed in her head. If these men could embrace womanhood – then, certainly, she can embrace manhood as well, right?

The thought felt right to her. Not the idea that she could be a man if she wanted to be. But the idea that she could be well, whatever she wanted to be, whenever she wanted to be.

Enraptured by this revelation, she started dancing along to the festivities, uncaring that she stayed in the outskirts of the crowd. In her frenzied dance, the cloth hiding her fell away. And one of the guards on duty mistakes her for a spectre and attacks her out of fright. When the deed is done, he realizes who it is he just assaulted.

Her body is thrown out into the sea.

Battered and broken, Naia's body drifts under the moonlight, pale and unnatural. And the moon deities weep and mourn for the loss of a loyal and wonderful priestess. But they do nothing more, even as their tears form rain that push her under the waves. She drowns. And this would have been the end of the story of Naia Baybay-

But a monstrous sea serpent comes and takes her corpse away.

Bakunawa, they call themself. When she awakes, she is at awe at the deity that had saved her. Bakunawa the Moon Eater and the guardian of the Underworld found deep in the sea. They had kept her soul out of the Underworld out of pity, seeing her as another one abandoned by Bathala and the moons. She had already died – but they "undid that" was the callous admittance.

But what did it cost? What did she have to pay for her unwitting resurrection? The first: a life for a life – the Underworld was still waiting for a soul that should have been hers. Days after the fact, she finds the guard who had assaulted her and takes his life with her own hands. The second: her companionship. Bakunawa was a lonely one. And to steal a priestess from the moons for themself was a great irony. To have that priestess eventually take their place as the Moon Eater was an even greater insult.

Naia lived through the years as Bakunawa's priestess… or priest or even acolyte if she- they felt like it. They witness history side-by-side. While the people only catch glimpses of them, word of a mangkukulam – one who reeks of death and dark magick able to grant wishes – were widespread wherever they went. The name Naia eventually fades from use as they assume the title of a witch doctor gladly.

But all those years were not smooth sailing. Each year brings about its own strife and grief. The Doctor's first death would not be their last. Persecution was inevitable. Many of those deaths came during the era of the Spanish colonisation. After all, they were considered an enemy to the Biblical ideals. But after returning from the grave and gaining vengeance one too many times, the locals soon learned well enough to warn the foreigners not to anger them. Even completely destroying their body would not keep them from coming back. Not that the foreigners always listened.

The Doctor and Bakunawa kept watch, as the country was colonised by the Spaniards and the Chinese and the Americans and on and on and on. Watched as independence was achieved and president after president came into power. Though the Doctor had power to influence any of these historical events, they preferred to keep to themselves.

Happy to be the helpful if scary Doctor that listened and gave aid to those brave enough to approach them. Over the years, they've made friends, of course. And, on rare occasions, there have been lovers as well. And when the itch to travel and see the world came, they'd live for a year or five in another country before coming back to the islands Bakunawa was bound to. The serpent deity was never far away from the Doctor, after all, their very essence weaved into the cloak the Doctor wears that had once been a Barong.

For now, the Doctor resides in the Bay House. An old Spanish style villa and ancestral home that they frequent. The halls and rooms are filled with all sorts of self-proclaimed villains and monsters. And its doors are always open to those in need and those who want to help others, should they be brave enough.